The Girl I Once Knew
by nazzy and jerkez
Summary: Shikamaru had already figured out that Uchiha Sasuke leaving Konoha would result in some kind of chaos. Ino ignoring him was definitely listed as "chaos" in his book — ShikaIno


NazaliaSan

Summary: Ino finds it hard to smile since Sasuke left. But, is it because of Sasuke Ino's sad? Misunderstandings are usual during these times, and Ino gets to know those pretty well. The plan of ignoring Shikamaru may not work as well as she thought. ShikaIno

Disclaimer: Of course. My real name is Masashi Kishimoto, not Amanda. Duh, didn't you know that?

AN: Well, hi minna-san. This is a new oneshot, a tribute to Shikamaru and Ino. And, this time, no Nazalia! Tenten will be in Konoha in this fanfiction, as she actually _should _be. Anyway, don't forget to review.

This is after Sasuke left, of course.

Oh, and the main pairing is ShikaIno and implied SasuSaku (only little), but then one-sided TemaShika and ChouIno, although that won't be mentioned a lot.

BETA: Saya Moonshadow (as usual. But you're the best) -cuddles-

* * *

Ino stared. And stared some more. In front of her was her best friend, Haruno Sakura, crying. Scratch that, she was practically crying her heart out. And those words that she managed to say between her sobs made Ino realize why. 

"_Sasuke-kun", "power", _and _"he left". _

Sakura was the last one to see Uchiha Sasuke. She was the last one from Konoha he'd see in a long time. Is Ino jealous? Yes, indeed.

It had all started with Ino's morning shift at the flower shop. Suddenly, Sakura had run into her, crying and stuttering, and all the flowers Ino held was suddenly on the floor.

"And, Naruto…" Sakura managed to stutter. Ino's eyes widened as she put a hand on her best friend's shoulder. _What now?_ She thought, nervous that something happened to Naruto.

"What about Naruto?" she succeeded to ask.

"He's going to hate me." Sakura quietly responded.

* * *

"Naruto…this is the only favor I'm going to ask you." 

Dramatic pause. Sakura managed to bit back a sob.

"Bring Sasuke-kun…Bring Sasuke-kun back."

* * *

-

* * *

"_What are you saying, Sakura? Of course he won't." Ino said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. Sakura just stared at her, with those green eyes. Ino winched._

"_I couldn't stop him…" Sakura bit back a sob. _

"_Sakura, no one would be able to stop him. What did you offer? All of your love, and a happy marriage?" When Sakura didn't answer, but instead looked down, ashamed, on her feet, Ino took two steps back. "So you did, ne?" Ino also looked down on the floor. What would she do if it was HER that would see Sasuke one last time? Would she really say that everything would be alright? That they would live happily ever after? She could see that Sakura clumsily stood up, and tried to take a few steps closer to her. _

"_Ino, I thought that was the right thing…I really wanted him to stay."_

_Ino still didn't answer. Hell, what COULD she say to Sakura? If these scene would play a few years ago, Ino would've screamed to Sakura, hate her and tell her that Sasuke is hers, damn it! But, this isn't the same, anymore. _

_Ino's eyes widened. For some reason, she realized that if she was the one that would meet Sasuke for one last time…_

"_Sakura, let's go find Naruto." Ino smiled at her best friend._

_If she was the one to find him…_

"_Ino…are you sure?" Sakura looked at her with those green eyes, but Ino just nodded._

"_Let's go ask Hokage-sama. I'm sure she knows where he is."_

_If she was the one to find him, she wouldn't…_

"_But, Ino…"  
_

"_Not 'but's, Sakura. Let's go!" And with that, Ino dragged her best friend out of the shop, screaming to her mom to take care of the store. _

_She wouldn't stop him…she would be too scared to actually do something._

_She admired her. That's for sure. And when she turned around to tell her best friend that everything would be alright, she couldn't find the words._

_For the first time in a long time, Sakura looked at her with admiration. Just like these times Ino ever saved her from Ami. Ino smiled._

_'Just like the old times, ne?'_

* * *

Ino was standing behind a building, watching the whole scene. How Sakura cried, how Naruto stared at her, and all the others. Ino directed her attention to her two teammates. Shikamaru was in his chuunin vest, and Chouji was next to him. _'Just like Hokage-sama told us, Shikamaru would choose some shinobi's to accompany him to retrieve Sasuke. Of course he would choose Naruto and Chouji to go with him.' _Ino looked at the other shinobi's. Besides Shikamaru, Chouji and Naruto were Hyuuga Neji, Inuzuka Kiba and Rock Lee. 

'_So, he survived the operation?' _Ino felt relieved. If someone from the Rookie 9 or Team Gai would die, nothing would be the same.

She could see how Naruto told Sakura something, as she almost stopped breathing. Then, Naruto did the 'nice guy' pose. _'I wonder what he said…'_

Ino also wanted to run to her teammates, tell them that COULDN'T die, or she would kill them. Maybe even hug them, and tell them that they were her closest male friends. She could see how Shikamaru told Naruto something, as they started walking. Lee stayed, for some reason. Ino stared at them, sadly asking herself if this was the last time she would see them. If this is the last time she would see their backs.

She decided to leave when she couldn't see them anymore, but she never saw Sakura or Lee leave. Maybe they stood there for five minutes, or if they decided to stay for hours, she didn't know.

* * *

Everything changed when Ino heard that they returned. She heard it from her mother while they were arranging flowers in the shop. She prayed, for Sakura's sake, that they had Sasuke with them. Ino practically ran into everything on the way to the hospital. But, the moment she saw Chouji's father, she knew something was wrong. She couldn't see Shikamaru anywhere. And she couldn't see Chouji. And no Sasuke. 

That's when she realized that Chouji's life was in danger. But she _still _couldn't see Shikamaru.

* * *

She didn't leave the hospital until she knew how Chouji was. At last, Tsunade told her and Chomaru that his life was no longer in danger. She could finally breathe again. 

When she was away from Chouji's hospital room for the first time in a couple of hours to drink some water, she met him. She hadn't seen him since she arrived to the hospital.

"Ino?"

He was surprised. Hell, he was _surprised. _Like it was impossible for her to be human and actually care for someone else? She stared at him, wondering what was going on in his head right now. She ignored him. She ignored him for not being with her and Chouji. She ignored him for being…him. The only thing she said to him during that day was when she walked past him to return to Chouji's hospital room.

"Welcome home." And with that, she walked to Chouji.

* * *

A couple of days later, she met him again. She heard from Sakura that he had been with Naruto during the time she was with Chouji. And, they hadn't succeeded the mission. Sasuke was still gone. She stared at him, but she couldn't ignore him; he was, after all, a customer. A regular customer. Ino was in the flower shop again. But she was still mad at him. Why? 

'_I saw a blonde girl with him that day. That sand girl from the Chuunin exams, remember? Temari.' _

The words Sakura so carefully uttered still repeated themselves in Ino's head. She had heard from Tsunade that team Sand had been sent to help them. But, it just HAD to be her that would rescue him. _I should be thankful. She saved him, right?_

But, it was something that was burning inside of her.

"What do you want?" she asked, her eyes lingering on his chuunin vest, remembering that he was the only one who succeeded to be a Chuunin. She was proud of him, she remembered. They celebrated together, eating. The sound of Shikamaru's voice made her stop having flashbacks.

"I'm looking for a flower."

"Really? Then you're in the wrong shop." Ino said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at his sentence. Of _course _he was looking for a flower; this is a flower shop, after all.

"I was hoping you could help me. It's to someone special."

Ino winched. _To that sand girl, right?_

"And, I really don't have a clue what to give…"

_To that sand girl, right?_

"But, I guess flowers will do fine."

_To that sand girl, right?_

"But, I don't want to give a flower that says 'I hate you' or something, because that would be the opposite of what I'm feeling right now."

_It's…to that sand girl, right?_

"But, you're good at this. Do you have time to help me?" Shikamaru smiled one of those smiles that made Ino smile. Ino wanted to smile, but she couldn't. She just looked at him.

"No, I don't."

And so, she walked out through the back door, asked her mother to help Shikamaru, and walked straight to her room. And looked at the picture of team 10 for a long time.

It was first two days after the incident she heard from her mom that he wanted a flower to Chouji, an excuse for not being with him when the time was critical.

* * *

It was a couple of weeks later, and Ino and Sakura were walking down the streets of Konoha. It was unusual for them to have to each other, since Sakura asked Tsunade to be her student. So, now, she studied to be a medical nin. Ino was also busy with the flower shop, since her mom had a terrible headache, which made it impossible for her to be in the flower shop. And, she hadn't seen Shikamaru since that day in the flower shop. 

"So, how's the studying?" Ino asked Sakura, still not satisfied with the answer she got when she asked Sakura _why _she wanted to be a medical nin.

"_I want to be useful."_

"Oh, it's hard. I'm just a beginner at this, you know. But, Tsunade-shishou told me that I'm making progress." Sakura smiled, as Ino just smiled back. It was great to see her best friend smile again. _Since Sasuke left, we've been closer. _Ino realized, as she remembered the day Sakura came to her, crying.

"Ino, I have to ask you something." Sakura admitted.

"What?"

"Do you still have feelings for Sasuke-kun?"

"WHAT?" Ino was shocked. "I'm supposed to ask you that!"

Sakura just smiled, fumbling with her hands on her dress. "I still love him, Ino. I can't stop. What about you?" She stared with those eyes that Ino loved and still hated. But, Ino had to think. _Do I love him? Have I missed him? _

And, Ino realized something.

"No, I don't."

"Really? Because, you've seemed sad for the past few weeks, you know."

"That's not because of him!" Ino exploded. That bastard wasn't be worthy all those tears Sakura cried over him. He left the village for power, for Kami's sake! _Seriously, that's lame. _Ino thought.

"Then, why…" Sakura couldn't finish the sentence, because a scream interrupted.

"Ino!" Both girls turned around, and they saw Shikamaru and Chouji. Chouji was much better, although he was eating as usual. He had now returned to his normal state. But, this was the first time in weeks she had seen him. And, walking next to him was Shikamaru.

"Chouji!" Ino smiled, not saying Shikamaru's name on purpose. Chouji didn't notice the little detail, he was just happy to see his best female friend again. But Shikamaru noticed. He winched, and gave her a questioning look. She just shrugged, and started to complain Chouji for his usual fatness, and they laughed. The two geniuses were left outside the conversation, and they looked at each other.

"So, what have you been busy with, Shikamaru?" Sakura asked, breaking the silence. Shikamaru glanced at her.

"I haven't been busy at all." Shikamaru stated, and raised his eyebrows. Sakura looked shocked.

"But, Ino haven't talked to you for over a couple of weeks, so I assumed that you were busy…" Sakura really didn't want to finish the sentence, since she realized that Ino was hiding something. She noticed Shikamaru's look, and how he glanced at his blonde teammate.

"Busy, you say…" Shikamaru grunted. He couldn't understand why it burned when he saw how they laughed, how she carefully put her hand on his shoulder to assure him she was joking, and how she blushed when he told her that she looked pretty today. Sakura also glanced at her best friend, and noticed something…

She wasn't herself. The way she talked, the way she moved…it was something only a best friend could notice. Sakura tilted her head to her left as she thought. _Maybe, she's trying…_

Sakura saw that the genius next to her was still staring, and realized something as she looked at her best friend again.

_Yep, she's definitely trying to make him jealous._

"Shikamaru, I think you should talk to her." Sakura said, earning Shikamaru's attention.

"About what?"

"About _this. _It's obvious that she wants you to be jealous, and I can clearly see that she's doing a great job. But, Chouji hasn't noticed. Yet. So, it's better if you talk to her now, than making one of your best friends sad. Do you know which one I'm talking about?" Sakura stared at him. Shikamaru sighed.

"Probably Chouji, right? He would be pretty sad if Ino, like you say, used him."

"Wrong."

"What?"

"You're supposed to be the genius here. Well, I think Ino would be as sad as Chouji if you don't do anything soon." Sakura glanced at Ino and Chouji, who were busy talking. Shikamaru now took a second look at his teammates. They were laughing, talking and just doing all the things the three of them used to do.

_Then, why do I feel like this?  
_

"I don't think she would listen, you know." Shikamaru stated.

"Eh, why?"

"Just trust me."

* * *

"Bye, Chouji!" Ino waved at her friend, as he waved back at her. She didn't say goodbye to Shikamaru on purpose. _Tch, why should I? _Ino thought, a bit sad that he didn't care that she really didn't talk to him, or even look at him. 

"Ne, Ino, don't you think that's a bit cruel?" Sakura said when they started walking again. Ino turned to face the pink-haired 'medic-nin in practice'.

"What's cruel?"

"What do you think? Ignoring Shikamaru, of course. And we shouldn't even talk about using Chouji. That's not what you usually do, Ino." Sakura walked without meeting Ino's stare, talking with her eyes closed.

"W-what are you talking about, Sakura?" Ino decided to play dumb. _She couldn't know my plan THAT easily, right? …Right? _

"I may be exhausted after all my training, but that doesn't mean my brain's turned off. I know what you're doing, Yamanaka Ino, and I think you should quit while you can."

"Then, what am I'm doing, Sakura?"

"You're trying to make Shikamaru jealous, don't you? Jeez, it really amazed me that Chouji didn't notice. What happened between you and Shikamaru, by the way? Is he the reason why you are sad?"

Ino stared at her best friend. Was it really that obvious? Even that Sakura is one of the smartest kunoichi's Ino ever known; Shikamaru still has an IQ over 200. Sakura really couldn't beat that.

"He noticed, ne?" Ino asked, her voice now sad. Sakura looked at her.

"Definitely."

"So, why…" Ino started, but didn't find the words to finish it. _Then, why didn't he say anything? Why didn't he react? Why…?_

"Ino, he was pretty upset, you know. You have time to tell me why you're ignoring him?"

"I just…can't forgive him."

"For what?"

"For not being there."

"Eh? Where?"

"When Chouji was dying. He was with that Temari, right? He doesn't deserve to be excused for that!"

"But, as I heard from your mom – Yes, we've talked, Ino – he came to buy a flower as an apology. Am I right?"

"But, that's not all!" Ino just couldn't confess that Sakura was right.

"Oh, really? Ino, think. Did Shikamaru deserve all the things you've done to him?"

"I've done to him?"

"The ignoring part. What horrible things did he do?"

"He…" _He's with that Temari._

"He, what?"

_He's with that Temari._

"He's with…"

"Ino, come on!"

_He's with that Temari, for Kami's sake!_

"He's not supposed to be with her." Ino stated quietly. Sakura blinked a few times.

"He's not supposed to be with whom?"

"With _her! _He's not supposed to be with her!" Ino screamed, a part of her sad and the other part of her was angry that she had to repeat the damn sentence that took her minutes to utter in the first place.

"With…her? Oh, Temari-san?" Ino stopped walking. Did she just hear that?

"Temari…san, you say?"

"Yes, Temari-san. She's pretty nice, you know. I haven't talked to her THAT much, but the few times I've talked to her, she's really social. And pretty! Have you seen her eyes? She kind of looks like you, Ino. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Well, her eyes are more like green, but she still resembles you. Maybe that's why Shikamaru's talking to her. Oi, Ino, why did you stop walking?" Sakura just noticed that Ino wasn't next to her, and turned around to see her best friend a couple of meters behind her. Her head was turned down, and you couldn't see her face.

"You think that's why?"

"What?"

"You think Shikamaru's talking to her because she looks like _me?_ I don't think so, Sakura. Let me tell you this: She's so damn perfect! Strong, beautiful and even social! Hell, she should be the Hokage, not Tsunade-sama! If you like her that much, go and make a club with Shikamaru, so you two can have fun with her!" Ino's eyes finally met Sakura's, and to Sakura's surprise, Ino cried.

"I-Ino, that's not what I meant…" Sakura started, but was cut off by Ino.

"Really? You know, Sakura, I don't want to hear your explanation. I just…I just want to go home." And with that, Ino ran passed Sakura, and pretended that she didn't hear the cries from her best friend. She just wanted to go home.

* * *

_-Ring-_

"Shikamaru, can you take the phone? I'm busy with dinner, and your dad isn't home yet!" Shikamaru's mom, Nara Yoshino, yelled.

"But, I'm busy –"

"Shikamaru!"

"OK, I'll take it. Troublesome…" Shikamaru picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"_Shikamaru? That's you?"  
_

"Oh, Haruno? What do you want?"

"_Well, it's about Ino. Do you have time to talk?"_

"Actually, yeah. So, what happened?"

"_Well, we didn't actually fight, but we had a…conversation."_

"Oh…so, I'll ask again: What happened?"

"_Hm, how can I explain this in a short version? Let's see, we talked about Temari, Ino cried, Ino ran and left me alone on the streets of Konoha. Do I need to say more?"_

Shikamaru cringed. Ino cried? "Haruno, are you saying that Ino cried? And, what did you say about Temari?"

"_Do you remember our little talk? Silly me, of course you do. Well, I was right. Big shocker there." _Shikamaru sighed. This was taking TOO much time. And soon, it was time for dinner.

"Haruno, you mind quickening up your pace? I'm about to eat."

"_Oh, sorry! Well, she's trying to make you jealous, as I told you before. Remember?"_

"Of course I remember, it was about a half hour ago. What are you trying to tell me?"

"_Well, to me, it seems like she's sortofmaybeprobably jealous of Temari. Know what I'm saying, Shikamaru?"_

"Eh, well…maybe. Can you repeat that?"

"_Oh, wait, my mother's screaming. Can you wait?"  
_

"Of course."

"_Dinner's ready! So, I'll talk to you later, ne? Ja ne."_

"Oi, wait, Haruno!" –click- "Jeez…"

_Wait, what did she say about Ino? And Temari?_

_-_

"_- she's sortofmaybeprobably jealous of Temari."_

_-_

"Shikamaru, dinner's ready!"

"Hai." Shikamaru ran down the stairs, and sat down at the table. His father was now home, and was already talking to his mother.

"So, Shikamaru, who was it?" His mother, Yoshino, broke the silence.

"In the phone? Oh, just Haruno."

"…Haruno? Haruno Sakura?" He received a stare from his mother and a snicker from his father.

"So, you're after the pink one?" Shikaku grinned.

"Otou-san! We were just talking about Ino. Nothing more. Can we drop the subject?"

"Eh? Have something happened to Ino-chan?" Yoshino asked, now staring at her son. Shikamaru shrugged, and just continued eating his food. Suddenly, Yoshino stood up, shaking the whole table.

"Nara Shikamaru! Answer my question fast! _Did something happen to Ino-chan_?" Shikamaru sighed, since when did she start to call her "Ino-chan"?

"Nothing important, I guess…" _It's important, you lazy bum! Here I am, crying, and you don't even care! _An image of Ino appeared in his mind. "Eh, well, maybe." He added, afraid of facing the wrath of the non-existing Ino.

"Oh, what?"

"Yamanaka Ino? What did you say to her?" Shikaku suddenly joined their conversation, as he just remembered that his best friend has a daughter named Ino.

"Why do you guys assume _I _told her something?" Shikamaru said, annoyed.

Shikaku and Yoshino looked at each other and then sighed.

"Because that's you, Shikamaru." Shikaku finally admitted. Shikamaru stared at his father. Yoshino sighed, and put her right hand on her forehead as she sat down.

"No, don't misunderstand him. What your father is trying to say is that is typical _you_ to say something, or NOT say something, and hurt someone."

"Whatever."

"Shikamaru, that's not whatever! This is your _TEAMMATE_, for Kami's sake, we're talking about!" Shikamaru stared at his mother.

"Shikamaru, remember, if Ino's dear father will find out that she's sad in _any _way, well…we all know Inoichi, right?" Shikaku stated.

Shikamaru winched. He knew _too _well. His teammate's father had an attitude towards boys that actually screamed "if-you-touch-my-little-flower-I'll-kill-you-in-two-thousand-different-ways".

"But, what do you want me to do?" Shikamaru asked, as he started to, once again, eat his food. Yoshino suddenly took his plate. "What now?"

"You're not allowed to eat until you've talked to Ino." she said firmly, as she continued to eat her own food. Shikamaru stared.

"You're kidding me?"

"Does it look like I'm kidding?"

Shikamaru sighed. "No."

"Great! Then, off you go."

* * *

Shikamaru grunted as he, against his own will, left his house, and walked to his female teammate's house. It was only a couple of minutes later that he suddenly stood outside the Yamanaka's house. As he timidly knocked the door, afraid that Ino would open and then close the door again, he breathed again as he saw the silhouette of Ino's mother through the window. 

"Oh, Shikamaru?"

"Hello Mrs. Yamanaka, did I disturb you during your dinner?"

"Oh, not at all. Actually, we've already eat. Ino's upstairs, if you were going to ask."

"Was it that obvious?" Shikamaru grinned as he walked towards the stairs. He could practically hear Ino's mother smile.

"Well, Chouji was also here, so I guessed you also wanted to say 'hi' to her."

Shikamaru stopped walking. "Chouji was here, you say?"

"Yes, yes. Only a couple of minutes ago, actually. I was _so _sure that you had met him outside. But I take that as you did not?"

"No, I didn't. So, he's not here anymore?"

"No, he had to leave because I told him that Ino had to sleep. And, it looked like she was tired of all the talking about barbeque. But, I guess this is something special, right?" Mrs. Yamanaka smiled, as she continued to wash the dishes. Shikamaru also smiled, whispering a quiet

* * *

"So, Sakura, tell me, did you call Shikamaru?" Shikamaru could hear her say as he stood outside her room. For some reason, her door was open. As he glanced into her room, he had to look away _fast _if he didn't want a nosebleed. 

Ino were wearing a white tank top and dark blue shorts. Her blonde hair, that was short nowadays since the Chuunin exam, was released.

As Shikamaru forced him to not look again, he couldn't help but think a couple things. Like, _since when did Ino have so gorgeous legs?_

He mentally smacked himself, as he heard Ino's voice again.

"You did _what?_" NOW Shikamaru was interested. Were they talking about him?

"You did NOT! Haruno Sakura, you're _so _dead."

Wait, didn't they (they being himself and Sakura) fight like, only ten minutes ago? _Girls really are troublesome_, Shikamaru thought as he remembered Sakura's own words, "we didn't actually fight, but we had a conversation". Shikamaru once again looked into her room, and now saw that his friend was standing with her back facing him, but suddenly turned around when Sakura said something.

"That's really mean of you." Ino pouted, and Shikamaru found it very cute. And inviting, for some reason. He then saw her cringe. And then blushed.

"I did NOT say that. I just said that - No, I'm not blushing. I'm not! Like you could see that, _Forehead._" Shikamaru smiled as he heard her usual nickname for Sakura. But, he had to admit that it was kind of old now.

"Just, listen to me! I told you that I thought it was hard for me to see _him _being with _her._" He watched her turn on the speaker as she began to walk around in her room, obviously looking for a ribbon, or something to bind her hair with.

"_Her? You have to say her name sooner or later, Ino-pig." _He could hear Sakura say, and watched as Ino threw a pillow from her closet to her bed, aiming for the phone.

"I don't want to." she stated, as she finally found a ribbon, and tied her hair.

"_But you have to. Oh, aren't you supposed to talk to Shikamaru soon?"_

"Don't change the subject. I…I don't know." He saw that Ino turned off the speaker, and now held the phone in her hand. She turned to face the window, so Shikamaru couldn't see her face.

"Sakura, I…I don't want him to hate me." She admitted. Shikamaru now stood up, opening her door. She didn't hear him walking behind her.

_God bless my shinobi instincts. _Shikamaru thought, as he walked closer to her, not making a sound.

"I can't talk to him _now. _What if –" She didn't have time to finish the sentence, since a hand suddenly took the phone from her. Startled, she turned around and faced her teammate. Shikamaru smiled to her, but then started talking in the phone.

"Haruno? Is it OK if Ino will call you later? Great. Yeah, she's standing in front of me. She's pretty shocked, yes. Bye." He then turned off the phone, and then handed over the phone to Ino, who still had her mouth wide-open. Ino slowly took the phone from his hand, and after minutes of silence, she finally talked.

"_What the hell _are you doing here?"

Shikamaru sighed. _Not quite the reaction I was expecting. _"I wanted to talk to you."

"Obviously, because you're doing it right now." Her blue eyes gazed at him, and he winched. _She has pretty fast moodswings. _

"Ino, I came here because I want to say that I'm –"

"- 'a disaster', 'a man that can't express his feelings', or 'an idiot'. Choose your pick." Ino stated, and ran a hand through her thick, blond hair. Shikamaru grunted.

"Neither. I was planning on saying "sorry", but if you don't have time to talk to me, I guess I could leave right now." Shikamaru started to walk towards the door, with slow steps. He could hear Ino's gasp, and mentally hoped for a reaction from her.

"W-wait, Shikamaru!"

_Finally. _"What?"

"Why'd you say sorry?"

"…because I'm an idiot, remember?"

"Shikamaru, seriously. Why?"

"_Because_, I made you sad."

"That's why?"

Shikamaru turned around, and saw his female teammate with a worried gaze in her eyes. He walked to her again, and kissed her temple. Before she had a chance to react, he walked to the door. Before he stepped out from the room, he smiled to her, and watched her blush.

"Isn't that a good reason?"

And with that, he went outside her room. When he had walked down the stairs, he met Inoichi's stare. With a nervous laugh, he waved. Ino's dad, however, wasn't that impressed.

"How's Ino?"

"Ino? Oh, she's…she's perfect." Shikamaru said, hoping that he wouldn't kill him for _talking _to his daughter. Both males heard a laugh from the stair, and to Shikamaru's disbelief, it was Ino. She walked down the stairs and walked to Shikamaru. She stood behind him, and put her arms around his neck. As she laughed again, she noticed the glares from her teammate and father.

"You really think I'm _perfect, Shikamaru-kun_?" Ino said, her mouth next to Shikamaru's ear. He shivered, but noticed Inoichi's look, so he tried to look normal.

Well, how normal you possibly could be, when you had a gorgeous teammate behind you, and heard her breath into your ear.

"…yeah, obvio-"

"_Shika_maru-_kun, _you mind taking a walk with me?" Ino purred. Inoichi twitched, and so did Shikamaru, but for a whole different reason.

Shikamaru didn't really answer, as Ino dragged him outside the door, giggling. The minute they were outside the door, Shikamaru turned around to talk to her, but was cut off by something.

More like someone.

Ino had, somehow, managed to tip-toe and kiss Shikamaru the second he turned around.

_This troublesome girl…_Shikamaru thought, as he pulled her closer and returned the kiss. Ino, happy that he don't think _everything _is troublesome, smiled toward his lips and put her hands around his neck and pulled him closer, if possible.

* * *

Little did they know that a certain cotton-candy-haired friend to the blond girl was watching them, with the last member of Team 10, behind a bush. 

"So, what do you think, Chouji? Are you kind enough to tell Asuma that your teammates will be kind of…tired tomorrow?" Sakura smiled to the boy next to her. He, in turn, smiled back and focused on the couple in front of them.

"Of course."

And so, Sakura and Chouji watched the couple kiss each other senseless, not aware of the four eyes that were watching them.

"Sooo, Sakura-chan, _this _is where you were! Why didn't you tell me?" A loud voice behind Sakura and Chouji exclaimed. Even without turning around, Sakura slapped the loud ninja across the face, and pointed to the kissing pairing in front of them.

"Oi, is that _Shikamaru _and _Ino _kissing?" Naruto asked with a disguised mask on his face. Sakura just hushed him, and dragged him down next to Chouji. Naruto continued to mutter something about _disgusting _and _are you kidding me _when Chouji told him something. Sakura just rolled her eyes; it's not that horrible if two people that like each other kisses. She heard something behind her, and turned around, just to meet a mask.

"So, Sakura, this is where you two were. What are you watching?" The masked Jounin asked her, and joined them behind the bush. Sakura didn't answer, and just pointed out to the Yamanaka residence, where the two teammates were busy making out. Kakashi winched, but then giggled like a little girl, and put out his orange book. Sakura sighed, but then returned her gaze to the couple.

Why were they watching, you ask?

_Just to make sure everything's fiiiine. We both know Ino, right? _As Sakura explained to Chouji when she ran into him on the way to the Yamanaka, and wanted him to come with her.

"Oi, Chouji, where's Ino and Sh –" A voice behind the bush made everyone jump, but Kakashi were fast, and dragged the last member of Team 10 down to their level, so Shikamaru and Ino wouldn't see him. Asuma muttered something, but then saw his teammates in front of him, and then snickered. He then started to talk with Kakashi, but the only responds he got were a few "Yes" and maybe an "Hm" every now and then.

Sakura, the only _sane _person left, sighed, and looked at the couple in front of her. _I'm going to have a lot to explain tomorrow. _She thought as she realized the consequences for making her team and Ino's team watch their make out session. She was going to be, at least, furious. Well, not the _whole _Team 7, because… Sakura swallowed.

_Sasuke isn't here. _

'_Well, Sakura, not the time for crying, right? Now get strong fast and get him back, and we can live like normal again.' _Sakura's inner self stated, and Sakura smiled to herself.

* * *

**A/N: **Ehm, hello everyone. _So, _this is the end. The part of making Naruto, Kakashi and Asuma appear in the end was actually made up right now, and isn't checked-up by my lovely beta, _Saya Moonshadow. _But, for two different reasons: 

1) She had to go to her job, and she did a great job of editing this right before it, so I thought she had the right to not to it. Poor Saya-chan.

2) I thought about making it before, but it totally slipped my mind. So, I decided to write it anyway. A little late, but whatever. shrugs

So, any reviews?

love /nazaliasan


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